Top basketball action is coming to New Zealand with 16 nations featuring some of the best talent the sport has ever seen as the FIBA U19 World Championship for Men takes to the court in Auckland, July 2-12, 2009.

The Auckland region will host a tournament regarded as the third biggest in the sport. Only the FIBA men’s and women’s world championships are larger.

This tournament is globally recognised as the breeding ground for future global basketball stars with many of today’s well known basketballers participating in past tournaments.

NBA stars such as Vince Carter (United States), Luis Scola (Argentina), Pau Gasol (Spain), Andrei Kirilenko (Russia) and Australian Andrew Bogut have all played in previous tournaments, showing all their skills and passion from an early age.

It will feature 62 matches played at the North Shore Events Centre, Takapuna and the ASB Stadium, Kohimarama. The quarterfinals, semifinals and finals will all be held at the North Shore Events Centre.

There will be live television coverage of all New Zealand games, the quarters, semis and finals.

It is the first time New Zealand has hosted a FIBA (International Basketball Federation) event and will also be a first for a New Zealand men’s team to compete at the tournament.

It is significant that Auckland is hosting an event of this international stature. A feature of the tournament is that some of the world’s best basketballing nations will take part, including the United States, Argentina, Croatia, Greece, Spain and Australia.

Interest in the tournament will see about 100 player scouts descend on the region, along with approximately 400 athletes and officials.

”It is a real honour for New Zealand to host such a presitigious tournament on the basketball calendar and another sign that we have become a recognised player in a truly global sport,” says Basketball New Zealand chief executive Dale Stephens.

The event will also provide a prime opportunity for the next generation of Tall Blacks to step into the international arena for the first time.

“This will be an exciting period for all of us,” says Junior Tall Black guard Logan Van Beek of Canterbury. “We will be performing against the best juniors players in the world on our home court … I’m sure this will be something we look back on as a highlight in our careers.”

Local supporters of the event are Auckland City Council, North Shore City Council, Major Events New Zealand, SPARC and Tourism Auckland. Sky City Hotels is the official accommodation for teams and officials.

FIBA, the world governing body for basketball is an independent association formed by 213 national federations – only volleyball among Olympic sports has more member nations. FIBA is the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The headquarters of FIBA is in Geneva, Switzerland.

The official charity of the FIBA U19 World Championships for Men is Heart Children New Zealand. Heart Children New Zealand provides care and support to heart kids and their families, from before birth, through surgery, rehabilitation and into the future.